Folding step for vehicles.



G. BLACK.

FOLDING STEP FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 83, 1908.

903,352. I Patented Nov. 10,1908.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

i I nuzn ioz 0. BLACK.

FOLDING STEP FOR VEHICLES. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 23, 1903.

Patented Nov. 10, 1-908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

till

STA

FOLDING STEP FOR VEHICLES.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BLACK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hawesville, in the county of Hancock and tate of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Steps forVehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in folding steps for passengercars, coaches, buses and similar vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical deviceof this character having a lower step or step section which may bequickly and conveniently lowered and raised by the conductor, motorman,driver, or other person upon the platform of the vehicle.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel features of construction and the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully de scribed and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail end elevation of aportion of a passenger car or coach showing the application of theinvention thereto; Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section through a portionof the platform and showing the opposite side of the steps; Fig. 3 is aside elevation of a portion of one end of the car showing the steps infront elevation; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the steps removed from thecar; and Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the hinge for the lowerfolding step or step section.

In the drawings 1 denotes a portion of the body of a car, coach or othervehicle, and 2 denotes the platform of the same;

The improved steps consist of a station- I ary section 3 and a foldablestep or step section 4. The step section 3 consists of two side members5 united by the treads 6 and risers 7. The step section 4 may consist ofany number of treads or steps but, as illustrated in the drawing, itconsists merely of a single step adapted to fold upwardly and inwardlyand upon the lowermost tread 6. It is of right angular form and has abroad portion 8 forming a tread and a narrow portion 9 forming the lowerpart of the lowermost riser 7, to which latter it is connected by hinges10.

11 denotes a lever for actuating the folding step section 4. Said leverhas a sliding Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 23, 1908.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Serial No. 445,037.

pivoted at 14 to one end of the step 4 and its upper end is connected bya link 15 to the lower end of an operating lever 16. The latter extendsthrough a slot or opening in the platform 2 and is pivoted therein, asshown at 17. The upper end of the lever 16 is provided with an handle 18and carries a slidably mounted spring projected and hand retracted pawl19 adapted to engage a segmental locking rack 20 suitably mounted uponthe car. It will be seen that when the pawl 19 is retracted from itslocking rack and the lever 16 is oscillated the step or step section 4will be raised or lowered according to the direction of movement of saidlever. When the step 4 is lowered, as shown in Fig. 1, and the handleend of the lever 16 is swung to the left the link 15 will drawdownwardly upon the upper end of the lever 11 so that the latter willswing upon its pivot 13 and at the same time slide outwardly orlongitudinally to a slight extent to allow the pivot 14 to swing aroundthe hinge 10 and the continued movement of said link will then draw orslide the lever 11 longitudinally in the opposite direction or inwardlyso that the step 4 will be swung up and over upon the lower tread 6 ofthe stationary steps 3.

In order to effectively brace the step 4 when lowered, stop pins 21, 22are provided upon the step or step section 3 for engagement by the lever11, as shown in Fig. 1; and in order to cause both ends of the step 4 tobe similarly supported and operated a link or lever 25 similar to thelower end of the lever 11 is provided upon the opposite side of thesteps 8. Said link 25 is pivoted at one end at 26 to the step 4 and hasat its other end a slot 27 to receive a pin 28. A stop pin 29 similar tothe pin 21 is provided for the engagement of the link 25 when the 'step4 is lowered. In the side members or plates 5 of the steps 3 may beformed notches for the reception of th pivots 14, 26 when the step 4swings to its closed position.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of astationary step section, a movable step section hinged to swing up-"\vardly and" over upon the former and an actuating lever connected tothe movable step section and slidably and pivotally mounted.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of astationary step section, a movable step section hinged to swing upwardlyand over upon the former, an "actuating lever formed with a longitudinalslot and pivoted at one end to the movable step section, a fulcrum pinupon the stationary step section and arranged in said slot in the leverand means for actuating said lever.

B. In a device of the character described, the combination of astationary step section, a movable step section hinged to swing upwardlyand over upon the former, a lever pivoted at its lower end to themovable step section and formed intermediate its ends with alongitudinal slot, a fulcrum pin upon the stationary step section andarranged in said slot, an operating lever, and a link connecting thelatter to the first mentioned lever.

l. In a device 01": the character described,

the combination of a stationary step section,

a movable step section hinged to swing upwardly and over upon theformer, a lever pivoted at its lower end to the movable step section andformed intermediate its ends with a longitudinal slot, a fulcruinpinupon the stationary step section and arranged in said slot, an operatinglever, a link connecting the latter to the first mentioned lever, meansfor locking said operating lever in' an adjusted position, and a stoppin upon the stationary step section for engagement by the firstmentioned lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses. CHARLES BLACK.

Witnesses V V J OHN S. Anam, B. H. RowLEY.

